Phospholipid is known as a surface active agent or emulsifying agent which is mild to the skin. Lysophospholipid obtained by converting the phospholipid into its lyso form by enzyme treatment or the like means is also known as a surface active agent or emulsifying agent which is tender to the skin (JP-A-61-112007, JP-A-63-41411; the term "JP-A" as used herein means a "Japanese published unexamined patent application"). Examples of the known lysophospholipid include those which are produced from phospholipid of animal origin such as the egg yolk, bovine brain or swine brain or from phospholipid of plant origin such as soybean, corn, rapeseed or the like plant seed, and they are used in cosmetics, quasi drugs, toiletries and the like, as surface active agents, solubilizing agents, emulsifying agents, gelling agents, moisture-keeping agents or liposome-making agents.
Since lysophospholipid, when compounded in cosmetics, can provide the products with a soft touch, it is an effective material for improving the touch of products during and after their use.
However, since there are problems from the viewpoint of stability (such as odor and discoloration), there is a limitation, in terms of formulation designing such as blending amount and masking of an oxidized soybean-like odor. Although a hydrogenated lysolecithin is available (in which unsaturated fatty acids of lysophospholipid are hydrogenated) in order to improve stability, the material provides poor feel because of less adaptability and moist sensation on the skin.
The object of the present invention is to provide lysophospholipids for use in cosmetics having both high storage stability and excellent feeling upon use, a cosmetic composition comprising the same and methods using the lysophospholipid.